# US 7,613,823 B1 · Enhanced channel access mechanisms for an HPNA network > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,613,823 B1 - Document ID: US7613823B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 10/042,142 - Filed: 2002-01-11 - Granted: 2009-11-03 - Earliest claimed: 2001-02-20 - Assignees: AT&T Intellectual Property II, L.P. - Inventors: Wei Lin; Matthew J. Sherman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7613823B1 ## CPC - H04L 12/40156: {by using dedicated slots associated with a priority level} - H04L 9/40: Network security protocols - H04L 12/00: Data switching networks (interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units G06F13/00) - H04L 12/2838: {Distribution of signals within a home automation network, e.g. involving splitting/multiplexing signals to/from different paths (adaptations of television systems for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution H04N7/106; hybrid transport H04L12/6418; home network arrangements specially adapted for distribution of digital video signals H04N7/24)} - H04L 12/403: with centralised control, e.g. polling - H04L 12/4625: {Single bridge functionality, e.g. connection of two networks over a single bridge} - H04L 12/2803: {Home automation networks} - H04L 2012/2845: {Telephone line} - H04L 2012/5603: {Access techniques} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) ## Abstract A system and a method is disclosed that provides that access to a communications medium that is suitable for allowing HPNA v2-formatted frames in a centralized manner. A list of sessions in enhanced STAs using the communications medium is maintained at a Media Control Station (MC STA). Each enhanced STA gains access to the communications medium in a centralized manner. A message is transmitted from the MC STA to a selected non-MC STA. The transmitted message is transmitted with a highest physical layer priority level available in a first HPNA v2-formatted frame. After the message is received at a non-MC STA, the non-MC STA transmits a reply message to the MC STA in response to the received message that is transmitted at the highest physical layer priority level available in a second HPNA v2-formatted frame. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for providing access to a communications medium, the communications medium being suitable for allowing use of Home Phoneline Network Association (HPNA) v2-formatted frames, each HPNA v2-formatted frame being timed to allow a plurality of physical layer priority level slots, the method comprising steps of: maintaining a list of sessions in enhanced stations (STAs) using the communications medium, each enhanced STA being one of a Media Control Station (MC STA) and a non-Media Control Station (Non-MC STA), and each enhanced STA gaining access to the communications medium in a centralized manner, at least one enhanced STA adapted to always choose a Backoff Signal Slot 0 of an HPNA v2 frame during contention resolution with an HPNA v2 station, the Backoff Signal Slot 0 is one of only three Backoff Signal Slots specified under HPNA v2 for use in contention resolution after a collision; and transmitting a message from the Media Control Station (MC STA) to at least one selected non-MC STA using the communications medium, the transmitted message being transmitted with a highest physical layer priority level available in a first HPNA v2-formatted frame. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a frame encoding of at least one HPNA v2-formatted frame is modified to allow a higher encoding rate than permitted by HPNA v2. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein a frame header encoding of at least the first HPNA v2-formatted frame is modified to allow one of a polling frame, a beacon frame, a Centralized Contention (CC) frame, and a management frame. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein when the HPNA v2-formatted frame is modified to allow a Medium Allocation Element (MAE) in the management frame. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein the management frame is a Beacon frame. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitted message is one of a polling frame, a data frame and a management frame, and includes an encoding indicating a frame type within a body of the transmitted message. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the highest physical priority level slot of the first HPNA v2-formatted frame is PRI 7. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one HPNA v2 STA is associated with the communications medium, the method further comprising steps of: determining whether the message has collided with a message transmitted from the HPNA v2 STA; selecting a the Backoff Signal Slot 0 by the MC STA for contending for access to the communications medium when the message is determined to have collided with the message from the HPNA v2 STA, the selected Backoff Signal Slot being associated with a highest access priority to the communications medium; and retransmitting the collided message when access priority to the communications medium is gained. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the step of selecting the Backoff Signal includes a step of repeatedly selecting said highest priority Backoff Signal 0 Slot until the MC STA gains access priority to the communications medium over each HPNA v2 STA. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein at least one HPNA v2 STA repeatedly selects the Backoff Signal Slot 0 based on a predetermined sequence of Backoff Signal Slot selections. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, wherein each predetermined sequence of Backoff Signal Slot selections used by the HPNA v2 STA does not include a Backoff Signal Slot selection that is associated with the highest access priority. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the step of repeatedly selecting said Backoff Signal Slot 0 for gaining access to the communications medium is based on a predetermined sequence of Backoff Signal Slot selections. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of at least one selected non-MC STA receiving the message from the MC STA. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, further comprising a step of responding at each selected non-MC STA receiving the message with a frame transmitted with the highest physical layer priority level available in the HPNA v2-formatted frame at an appropriate time based on the message from the MC STA. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the received message includes a Medium Allocation Packet (MAP) for a plurality of non-MC STAs, the MAP including information relating to one of a specific time period assigned to each of the plurality of non-MC STAs, an order for each of the plurality of non-MC STAs to use the communications medium, an order for transmissions for each of the plurality of non-MC STAs, and a maximum time for each of the plurality of non-MC STAs to occupy the communications medium. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, further comprising a step of receiving a reply message at the MC STA from at least one selected non-MC STA in response to the transmitted message from the MC STA, the received message starting at a highest physical layer priority level available in a second HPNA v2-formatted frame. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein at least one HPNA v2 STA is associated with the communications medium, the method further comprising a step of remapping each priority level at a link sublayer for each HPNA v2 STA that is associated with the communications medium prior to the step of transmitting the message from the MC STA so that no data packet from an upper layer in each HPNA v2 STA associated with the communications medium is mapped to a highest physical layer priority level of a MAC sublayer of the HPNA v2 STA. ### Claim 18 A method for providing access to a communications medium, the communications medium being suitable for allowing use of a plurality of Home Phoneline Network Association (HPNA) v2-formatted frames, each HPNA v2-formatted frame being timed to allow a plurality of physical layer priority level slots, the method comprising steps of: receiving a message at a non-Media Control Station (non-MC STA) from a Media Control (MC) STA, the non-MC STA and the MC STA each being enhanced STAs that gain access to the communications medium in a centralized manner, the MC STA maintaining a list of sessions in enhanced STAs using the communications medium, the received message starting at a highest physical layer priority level slot available with a first HPNA v2-formatted frame, at least one enhanced STA adapted to always choose a Backoff Signal Slot 0 of an HPNA v2 frame during contention resolution with an HPNA v2 station, the Backoff Signal Slot 0 is one of only three Backoff Signal Slots specified under HPNA v2 for use in contention resolution after a collision; and transmitting a reply message from the non-MC STA in response to the received message to the MC STA, the reply message being transmitted at a highest physical layer priority level available in a second HPNA v2-formatted frame. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein a frame encoding of at least one HPNA v2-formatted frame is modified to allow a higher encoding rate than permitted by HPNA v2. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein a frame header encoding of at least the first HPNA v2 formatted frame is modified to allow one of a polling frame, a beacon frame, a Centralized Contention (CC) frame, and a management frame. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method according to claim 20, wherein when the first HPNA v2-formatted frame is modified to allow a Medium Allocation Element (MAE) in the management frame. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method according to claim 21, wherein the management frame is a Beacon frame. ### Claim 23 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the received message is one of a polling frame and a polling frame plus a data frame, and includes an encoding indicating a frame type within a body of the transmitted message. ### Claim 24 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the received message includes a Medium Allocation Packet (MAP) for a plurality of non-MC STAs, the MAP including information relating to one of a specific time period assigned to each of a plurality of non-MC STAs, an order for each of the plurality of non-MC STAs to use the communications medium, an order for transmissions for each of the plurality of non-MC STAs, and a maximum time for each of the plurality of non-MC STAs to occupy the communications medium. ### Claim 25 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the highest physical priority level slot of the first HPNA v2-formatted frame is PRI 7. ### Claim 26 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein at least one HPNA v2 STA is associated with the communications medium, the method further comprising steps of: determining at the non-MC STA whether the reply message has collided with a message transmitted from the HPNA v2 STA; selecting the Backoff Signal Slot 0 at the non-MC STA for contending for access to the communications medium when the reply message is determined to have collided with the message from the HPNA v2 STA, the selected Backoff Signal Slot being associated with a highest access priority to the communications medium; and retransmitting the collided reply message to the MC STA when access priority to the communications medium is gained. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, wherein the step of selecting the Backoff Signal Slot 0 includes a step of repeatedly selecting a Backoff Signal until the non-MC STA gains access priority to the communications medium over each HPNA v2 STA. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method according to claim 27, wherein at least one HPNA v2 STA repeatedly selects the Backoff Signal Slot 0 based on a predetermined sequence of Backoff Signal Slot selections. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The method according to claim 27, wherein each predetermined sequence of Backoff Signal Slot selections does not include a Backoff Signal Slot selection that is associated with the highest access priority. ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) The method according to claim 27, wherein the step of selecting a Backoff Signal Slot for gaining access priority to the communications medium is based on a predetermined sequence of Backoff Signal Slot selections. ### Claim 31 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein at least one HPNA v2 STA is associated with the communications medium, and wherein each priority level is remapped at a link sublayer for each HPNA v2 STA that is associated with the communications medium prior to the step of receiving the message from the MC STA so that no data packet from an upper layer in each HPNA v2 STA is mapped to a highest physical layer priority level of a MAC sublayer of each HPNA v2 STA. ### Claim 32 A communications network, comprising: a telephone-wire-based communications medium that is suitable for allowing use of a plurality of HPNA v2-formatted frames, each HPNA v2-formatted frame being timed to allow a plurality of physical layer priority level slots; and a Media Control Station (MC STA) device maintaining a list of sessions in enhanced stations (STAs) using the communications medium, each enhanced STA being one of the MC STA and a non-MC STA, at least one enhanced STA adapted to always choose a Backoff Signal Slot 0 of an HPNA v2 frame during contention resolution with an HPNA v2 station, the Backoff Signal Slot 0 is one of only three Backoff Signal Slots specified under HPNA v2 for use in contention resolution after a collision, and gaining access to the communications medium in a centralized manner, the MC STA transmitting a message to at least one selected non-MC STA using the communications medium, the transmitted message being transmitted with a highest physical layer priority level available in a first HPNA v2-formatted frame. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The communications according to claim 32, wherein a frame encoding of at least one HPNA v2-formatted frame is modified to allow a higher encoding rate than permitted by HPNA v2. ### Claim 34 (depends on 32) The communications network according to claim 32, wherein a frame header encoding of at least the first HPNA v2-formatted frame is modified to allow one of a polling frame, a beacon frame, a Centralized Contention (CC) frame, and a management frame. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The communications network according to claim 34, wherein when the first HPNA v2-formatted frame is modified to allow a Medium Allocation Element WAE) in the management frame. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The communications network according to claim 35, wherein the management frame is the beacon frame. ### Claim 37 (depends on 32) The communications network according to claim 32, wherein the transmitted message is one of a polling frame, a data frame and a management frame, and includes an encoding indicating a frame type within a body of the transmitted message. ### Claim 38 (depends on 32) The communications network according to claim 32, wherein the highest physical priority level slot of the first HPNA v2-formatted frame is PRI 7. ### Claim 39 (depends on 32) The communications network according to claim 32, further comprising at least one HPNA v2 STA that is associated with the communications medium, and wherein the MC STA determines whether the message has collided with a message transmitted from the HPNA v2 STA, selects a Backoff Signal Slot for contending for access to the communications medium when the message is determined to have collided with the message from the HPNA v2 STA, the selected Backoff Signal Slot being associated with a highest access priority to the communications medium, and retransmitting the collided message when access priority is to the communications medium is gained. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The communications network according to claim 39, wherein the MC STA repeatedly selects a highest priority Backoff Signal Slot until the MC STA gains access priority to the communications medium over each HPNA v2 STA. ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) The communications network according to claim 40, wherein at least one HPNA v2 STA repeatedly selects the Backoff Signal Slot 0 based on a predetermined sequence of Backoff Signal Slot selections. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) The communications network according to claim 41, wherein each predetermined sequence of Backoff Signal Slot selections does not include a Backoff Signal Slot selection that is associated with a highest access priority. ### Claim 43 (depends on 40) The communications network according to claim 40, wherein the MC STA repeatedly selects the Backoff Signal Slot 0 for gaining access priority to the communications medium based on a predetermined sequence of Backoff Signal Slot selections. ### Claim 44 (depends on 41) The communications network according to claim 41, wherein the message from the MC STA is received at least one selected non-MC STA. ### Claim 45 (depends on 44) The communications network according to claim 44, wherein selected non-MC STA receiving the message responds with a frame transmitted using a highest physical layer priority level available at an appropriate time based on the received message from the MC STA. ### Claim 46 (depends on 44) The communications network according to claim 44, wherein the received message includes a Medium Allocation Packet (MAP) for a plurality of non-MC STAs, the MAP including information relating to one of a specific time period assigned to each of the plurality of non-MC STAs, an order for each of the plurality of non-MC STAs to use the communications medium, an order for transmissions for each of the plurality of non-MC STAs, and a maximum time for each of the plurality of non-MC STAs to occupy the communications medium. ### Claim 47 (depends on 44) The communications network according to claim 44, wherein the MC STA receives a reply message from at least one selected non-MC STA in response to the transmitted message from the MC STA, the received reply message starting at a highest physical layer priority level available in a second HPNA v2-formatted frame. ### Claim 48 (depends on 44) The communications network according to claim 44, further comprising at least one HPNA v2 STA that is associated with the communications medium, and wherein the MC STA remaps each priority level at a link sublayer for each HPNA v2 STA that is associated with the communications medium prior to transmitting the message so that no data packet from an upper layer in each HPNA v2 STA associated with the communications medium is mapped to a highest physical layer priority level of a MAC sublayer of the HPNA v2 STA. ### Claim 49 A communications network, comprising: a telephone-wire-based communications medium that is suitable for allowing use of a plurality of HPNA formatted frames, each HPNA formatted frame being timed to allow a plurality of physical layer priority level slots; and a non-Media Control Station (non-MC STA) device receiving a message from a Media Control (MC) STA, the non-MC STA and the MC STA each being enhanced STAs that gain access to the communications medium in a centralized manner, the MC STA maintaining a list of sessions in enhanced STAs using the communications medium, the received message starting in a highest physical layer priority level available in a first HPNA v2-formatted frame, the non-MC STA transmitting a reply message in response to the received message to the MC STA, the reply message being transmitted using a highest physical layer priority level available with a second HPNA v2-formatted frame, at least one enhanced STA adapted to always choose a Backoff Signal Slot 0 of an HPNA v2 frame during contention resolution with an HPNA v2 station, the Backoff Signal Slot 0 is one of only three Backoff Signal Slots specified under HPNA v2 for use in contention resolution after a collision. ### Claim 50 (depends on 49) The communications network according to claim 49, wherein a frame encoding of at least one HPNA v2-formatted frame is modified to allow a higher encoding rate than permitted by HPNA v2. ### Claim 51 (depends on 49) The communications network according to claim 49, wherein a frame header encoding of at least the first HPNA v2 formatted frame is modified to allow one of a polling frame, a beacon frame, a Centralized Contention (CC) frame, and a management frame. ### Claim 52 (depends on 51) The communications network according to claim 51, wherein when the fItHPNA v2-formatted frame is modified to allow a Medium Allocation Element (MAE) in the management frame. ### Claim 53 (depends on 52) The communications network according to claim 52, wherein the management frame is the beacon frame. ### Claim 54 (depends on 49) The communications network according to claim 49, wherein the received message is one of a polling frame and a polling frame plus a data frame, and includes an encoding indicating a frame type within a body of the transmitted reply message. ### Claim 55 (depends on 49) The communications network according to claim 49, wherein the highest physical priority level slot of the first HPNA v2 formatted frame is PRI 7. ### Claim 56 (depends on 55) The communications network according to claim 55, further comprising at least one HPNA v2 STA that is associated with the communications medium, wherein the non-MC STA determines whether the reply message has collided with a message transmitted from the HPNA v2 STA, selects the Backoff Signal Slot 0 for contending for access to the communications medium when the reply message is determined to have collided with the message from the HPNA v2 STA, the selected Backoff Signal Slot being associated with a highest access priority to the communications medium, the non-MC STA retransmitting the reply message when access priority to the communications medium is gained. ### Claim 57 (depends on 56) The communications network according to claim 56, wherein the non-MC STA repeatedly selects the highest access priority Backoff Signal until the non-MC STA gains access priority to the communications medium over each HPNA v2 STA. ### Claim 58 (depends on 57) The communications network according to claim 57, wherein at least one HPNA v2 STA repeatedly selects Backoff Signal Slot 0 based on a predetermined sequence of Backoff Signal Slot selections. ### Claim 59 (depends on 58) The communications network according to claim 58, wherein each predetermined sequence of Backoff Signal Slot selections does not include a Backoff Signal Slot selection that is associated with the highest access priority. ### Claim 60 (depends on 56) The communications network according to claim 56, wherein the non-MC STA repeatedly selects a Backoff Signal Slot for gaining access priority to the communications medium based on a predetermined sequence of Backoff Signal Slot selections. ### Claim 61 (depends on 49) The communications network according to claim 49, further comprising at least one HPNA v2 STA that is associated with the communications network communications medium, and wherein each priority level is remapped at a link sublayer for each HPNA v2 STA that is associated with the communications medium prior to the message being received by the non-MC STA so that no data packet from an upper layer in each HPNA v2 STA is mapped to a highest physical layer priority level of a MAC sublayer of each HPNA v2 STA. ### Claim 62 A method for providing access to a communications medium, the communications medium being suitable for allowing use of a plurality of Home Phoneline Network Association (HPNA) v2-formatted frames, each HPNA v2-formatted frame being timed to allow a plurality of physical layer priority level slots, the method comprising steps of: remapping at a link sublayer for each HPNA v2 STA that is associated with the communications medium so that no data packet from an upper layer in each HPNA v2 STA is mapped to a highest physical layer priority level of a MAC sublayer of each HPNA v2 STA; transmitting a message from a Media Control Station (MC STA) to at least one selected non-Media Control Station (non-MC STA), the transmitted message being transmitted with a highest physical layer priority level available in a first HPNA v2-formatted frame, at least one enhanced STA adapted to always choose a Backoff Signal Slot 0 of an HPNA v2 frame during contention resolution with an HPNA v2 station, Backoff Signal Slot 0 is one of only three Backoff Signal Slots specified under HPNA v2 for use in contention resolution after a collision. ### Claim 63 (depends on 62) The method according to claim 62, further comprising a step of maintaining a list at the MC STA of sessions in enhanced STAs using the communications medium, each enhanced STA being one of the MC STA and a non-MC STA and gaining access to the communications medium in a centralized manner. ### Claim 64 (depends on 62) The method according to claim 62, wherein a frame encoding of at least one HPNA v2-formatted frame is modified to allow a higher encoding rate than permitted by HPNA v2. ### Claim 65 (depends on 62) The method according to claim 62, wherein a frame header encoding of at least the first HPNA v2-formatted frame is modified to allow one of a polling frame, a beacon frame, a Centralized Contention (CC) frame, and a management frame. ### Claim 66 (depends on 65) The method according to claim 65, wherein when the first HPNA v2-formatted frame is modified to allow a Medium Allocation Element (MAE) in the management frame. ### Claim 67 (depends on 66) The method according to claim 66, wherein the management frame is the beacon frame. ### Claim 68 (depends on 62) The method according to claim 62, wherein the transmitted message is one of a polling frame, a data frame and a management frame, and including an encoding indicating a frame type within the transmitted frame. ### Claim 69 (depends on 62) The method according to claim 62, wherein a highest physical priority level slot of the first HPNA v2-formatted frame is PRI 7. ### Claim 70 (depends on 62) The method according to claim 62, further comprising a step of receiving the message at least one selected non-MC STA. ### Claim 71 (depends on 70) The method according to claim 70, further comprising a step of responding at each selected non-MC STA receiving the message starting at a highest physical layer priority level available in an HPNA v2-formatted frame. ### Claim 72 (depends on 71) The method according to claim 71, wherein the received message includes a Medium Allocation Packet (MAP) for a plurality of non-MC STAs, the MAP including information relating to one of a specific time period assigned to each of a plurality of non-MC STAs, an order for each of the plurality of non-MC STAs to use the communications medium, an order for transmissions for each of the plurality of non-MC STAs, and a maximum time for each of the plurality of non-MC STAs to occupy the communications medium. ### Claim 73 (depends on 70) The method according to claim 70, further comprising a step of receiving a reply message at the MC STA from at least one selected non-MC STA in response to the transmitted message from the MC STA, the received reply message starting at a highest physical layer priority level available in a second HPNA v2-formatted frame. ### Claim 74 (depends on 70) The method according to claim 70, wherein the management frame is a Beacon frame.